This summer, I had the pleasure of working from the South of France for 5 weeks – in new work vocabulary: Workation. During this time, I was able to experience and learn something very valuable lessons for me, which I would like to share with you.
The great heat we experienced there made me very tired at the beginning and I wanted to stop the whole undertaking.
What was the reason?
I tried to fight the heat. And then I realized: how about going with the heat and adapting my working rhythm to nature? I then got up early to make use of the still well-tempered hours of the day. The greatest heat in the afternoon was only in the shade of the trees with light activity for the most part – and in the evening I was then able to finish the day well. And lo and behold – I was productive and efficient on the road.
Then one night a big storm came. The next day I jumped with my daughters, in the suddenly quite raging Mediterranean Sea and encountered the power of the waves. I could feel all over my body what it was like to swim with the energy (towards) instead of against it (away from). At one point in time we were one with the wave, we could use our power efficiently and without effort and were carried – we were in the flow. If we had resisted at that moment, the force of the water would have simply pushed us down.
At the age of 48, I suddenly felt with every cell of my body and understood what it meant to be able to direct my energy at any time.
Back to real life
How often do I deal with circumstances that I cannot influence and get terribly upset about them. I fight against the circumstances or feel tossed about by the wave of life. I am then tired and powerless. My energy dissipates.
But if I succeed in accepting the situation as it is and focus my energy on actively shaping the situation with my strengths and the possibilities available to me, then I work with the energy and with less effort.
Tim Löhr (performance psychologist and author) and Tony Schwartz (American journalist and business book author) wrote a book together: “The Power of Full Engagement: Managing Energy, Not Time, Is the Key to High Performance and Personal Renewal”, and explain it like this:
People can achieve peak performance when they focus their full energy on the task (Towards). “Every one of our thoughts, feelings and behaviours has an energetic consequence. The ultimate measure of our lives is not how much time we spend on the planet, but how much energy we put into the time we have.”
If I combine this towards energy with a clear formulation of goals and consciously harness my abilities, potentials, strengths and talents for this purpose, I can take the steps towards the goal with joy. Then the first step is also easy to take.
Essence?
Consciously recall your strengths and activate your existing resources – make your hitherto subconscious knowledge your inner team member and focus your energy on the path to achieving your goal – step by step. Live in harmony with nature and the circumstances – if a wave comes, accept it, use its energy to carry you closer to your goal.
If you would like to know more about activating your own strengths and cultivating resources, if you have any questions, or if you would like to arrange an initial consultation, please contact us at info@hahnloewe.de.
We look forward to exchanging ideas with you.